Donna Williams | |
|---|---|
 Williams in 2011 | |
| Born | Donna Keene 12 October 1963 Melbourne, Australia |
| Died | 22 April 2017 (aged 53) Ringwood East, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Period | 1992–2017 |
| Genre |
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| Literary movement | Autism rights |
| Notable works | |
| Spouse |
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| Website | |
| www | |
Donna Leanne Williams, also known by her married name Donna Leanne Samuel and as Polly Samuel (born Donna Keene; 12 October 1963 – 22 April 2017[1]), was an Australian writer, artist, singer-songwriter, screenwriter, and sculptor.
In 1965, aged two, Williams was assessed as "psychotic".[2][3] During the rest of her childhood, she was tested multiple times for deafness and labelled as "disturbed".[2][3] In 1991, she was diagnosed as autistic and also underwent treatment for gut, immune system and sensory perceptual disorders. She wrote four memoirs: Nobody Nowhere: The Extraordinary Autobiography of an Autistic Girl (1992), Somebody Somewhere: Breaking Free from the World of Autism (1994), Like Colour to the Blind: Soul Searching and Soul Finding (1998) and Everyday Heaven: Journeys Beyond the Stereotypes of Autism (2004) – and released two albums, Nobody Nowhere and Mutation. She was the subject of several TV documentaries during the '90s.
Williams wrote textbooks on the autism spectrum and was a qualified teacher, international public speaker and autism consultant.
Williams died of cancer in April 2017.[1]
- ^ a b Williams, Donna (30 April 2017). "Vale Polly Samuel (aka 'Donna Williams') 1963–2017. Polly's pages (aka Donna Williams)". Donna Williams. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ a b Golson, Emily B (2005). "Williams, Donna (1963–)". In Boynton, Victoria; Malin, Jo (eds.). Encyclopedia of Women's Autobiography. Vol. 2: K–Z. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 565–567. ISBN 978-0-31332-739-1.
- ^ a b Williams, Donna (29 September 2007). "Autism; it ain't all physical. Donna Williams Blog". Donna Williams.